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Thanks for reading! I don’t own any of Naruto! Please let me know if you enjoy! Happy Valentine’s Day!
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After a long and brutal season of war that was fraught with peril, valor, and intrigue, the five Shinobi villages entered a momentary time of peace.
Summer passed.
Autumn passed.
Winter came.
Tension still resounded throughout the lands.
Kakashi, the current Hokage of Konoha, sat in his office one late January afternoon thinking.
If only there was a way to dispel some of that stress……….
To bring people together…….
War divided.
Kakashi smiled under his mask.
A party?
Kakashi looked over at the calendar.
Valentine’s Day was in three weeks!
Konoha could hold a large party and invite the village’s neighbors and allies as an act of goodwill.
Perfect!
Maybe the Hokage could even find himself a date…..
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It didn’t take long for Konoha to get the word out about the upcoming event.
The other four Kages were quite surprised when they received the message……..
But no one declined Kakashi’s invitation.
All of Konoha’s citizens, along with the Hokage, helped decorate the village and organize the supplies.
Kakashi looked out of his window on the evening of February 13th and admired the village.
Konoha was covered in pink, white, and red, the trees illuminated with lights, and paper lanterns were scattered throughout, hanging above the streets.
Everyone had done a good job.
The Hokage was proud.
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The following afternoon, the streets flooded with party goers as Konoha’s citizens left their homes to mingle with friends, family, and visitors from other Shinobi villages.
The four Kages and several prominent members from Iwakagure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure all arrived at various times throughout the day.
There was plenty of food and drink for everyone in the center of Konoha, with smaller refreshment stands dotted here and there throughout the village.
Women, men, and children were all seeming to enjoy themselves, laughing and dancing.
Kakashi had put Konoha’s best singers and musicians on a large, wooden stage in the middle of the village so the music would carry on the wind through the trees.
In the early hours of the evening, when the party was in full swing, Kakashi stood talking with the other four Kages.
They all seemed to be a little less stony-faced than usual.
Kakashi took that as a good sign.
——————————————————————
While everyone else danced and had fun, Sasuke Uchiha sat perched underneath a tree with the same, signature scowl on his face.
Sasuke didn’t really want to come out to the party, but he found it impossible to sleep with all the noise.
So, he had put back on his usual dark clothes and come out of sulk about the disturbance under the shelter of a large tree.
Not far away, Sakura, who had been happy to come to the party, blinked as her bright green eyes roamed the crowd.
Of course, she was hoping she might see Sasuke at the event.
He had just come back to the village and she had heard he was already planning to leave again, something about “rectifying his sins”.
If only she could…….
The pinkette’s eyes widened as she spotted him under the tree.
There he was!
“Hey Sasuke!” Sakura smiled as she walked up.
“Oh, hey, Sa-ku-ra.” Sasuke said, looking over.
Sasuke had been different since he returned.
A good kind of different.
Sakura half-expected him to tell her to go away or say she was annoying him, but to her slight surprise, he scooted over, allowing her to sit in the soft grass beside him.
She tucked her knees over to one side, to protect her modesty.
It was a dance, and she had picked a bright red dress to wear tonight…..
…...Without her usual black shorts underneath.
They sat there in silence for a few moments.
Sasuke was a man of few words, but his eyes seemed to watch the people in front of him curiously.
He glanced over at Sakura.
Sakura glanced back.
Sasuke looked away.
Sakura smirked.
“Would you like me to go?” Sakura asked.
“No.” Sasuke replied.
A moment more of silence.
“Then, why don’t we enjoy the party, Sasuke?” Sakura asked.
Sasuke scoffed. “Heh. What do you want to do, dance?”
“Yes.” Sakura replied coolly.
“W-what?!” Sasuke gasped, his eyes going wide as he looked over at the pinkette.
“Yes, Sasuke, I would love to dance.” Sakura replied, grabbing Sasuke’s hand and pulling him to his feet with her tremendous strength. “I’m so glad you asked!” Sakura smiled gleefully.
“Sa-ku-ra! I…..I don’t know how to dance!!” Sasuke cried as Sakura dragged him out to the middle of the crowd.
“Just put this hand here…..and this hand…....” Sakura guided him, moving one of Sasuke’s hands to her hip and clasping his spare one in her own.
Sakura smiled as they began to sway gently, looking up at her new dance partner.
The pinkette’s heart leapt when she noticed the softness in Sasuke’s eyes…….
Maybe things really were different with Sasuke now.
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In another section of the city, Naruto stood at the punch table, pouring two cups of red liquid.
One for him.
One for Hinata.
“Thanks, Naruto!” The raven-haired woman chirped as her new husband handed her the drink.
“Yeah, of course! I hope you like it.” Naruto smiled.
His eyes were loving and his smile was bright.
He and Hinata had only been married a short while, but it wouldn’t matter if they had been married for fifty years……..
Hinata would always be beautiful to Naruto.
The blonde thought his bride looked especially gorgeous tonight.
Hinata’s long hair was clipped back using a couple of pink barrettes, her figure alluringly highlighted by a beautiful, silky pink dress, her cheeks rosy, and her smile bright.
“There’s no……” Hinata asked, questioning Naruto, nodding towards her glass.
“Oh no! There’s no alcohol in the punch, believe it! I double checked!” Naruto said quickly.
Hinata gave him a smile and took a sip.
The two stood on the side for a moment, watching the partygoers around them.
When no one was looking, Naruto stepped behind Hinata and wrapped his arms carefully around her.
His hands just barely brushed over abdomen, lingering….…..
Hinata laughed and kissed his cheek. “Naruto…..we don’t know for sure yet.”
Naruto leaned his head against his wife’s and whispered in her ear. “Hinata, even if it’s not now, it’ll be soon. Believe it~.”
Hinata raised her cup to take another sip, hoping that her hand would cover her blushing cheeks.
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“Would you like to dance?” Ino heard a very formal, almost robotic voice ask.
The blonde turned quickly to see Sai standing behind her.
She looked a bit startled and nervously touched her hair. “Oh….I, um, yeah! Sure!”
“Great, please take my hand.” Sai responded, holding out his pale palm.
Ino’s eyes were bright and hopeful as Sai walked her out to the middle of the village square and put his hands on her shoulders, placing hers on his.
“Actually, Sai, I think it’s more like this.”
It was Sai’s turn to be startled when Ino guided his hands to her waist instead.
Sai looked into Ino’s blue eyes.
Ino stared back.
Sai looked both elated and frustrated at the same time.
They had been out to dinner a couple of times over the past few months and Ino knew what that look meant.
It was the look Sai gave when he was experiencing feelings and emotions that he didn’t know how to respond to appropriately.
Sai researched social interaction as best he could, but he couldn’t learn everything from a book.
Ino decided she would help him out.
The blonde leaned in and planted a sweet but firm kiss on Sai’s lips.
She held the kiss for just a moment, and then she pulled away.
Sai looked at her with wide eyes.
Ino giggled.
She was right.
Apparently, that hadn’t been in Sai’s books!
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“Think your brother will find us here?” Shikamaru asked Temari as the couple huddled in the shadows of a dark alley.
“Who cares?” Temari asked. “My brother’s the Kazekage, he’s not my dad.”
“Yeah, but that’d be such a drag if….”
“Shut up and kiss me.” Temari cut him off, pulling him closer by the collar of his shirt.
Temari closed her eyes as the two shared a passionate kiss.
Shikamaru groaned into it, his hands holding her waist……..until he broke away suddenly when he heard a noise.
What was that?!
Was it Gaara?!?
Was it Naruto?!?
Shikamaru quickly looked from left to right, trying to plan a strategy in his mind as to what to do if they were caught.
What to say…...
“Would you calm down?” Temari asked, still leaning casually against the wall.
A squirrel had kicked a rock.
No one was there.
“I’d be a lot calmer if you would just let me tell people about us and we didn’t have to sneak around like criminals.” Shikamaru sighed.
“Now’s not the right time.” Temari replied.
“I’m not going to wait forever.” Shikamaru retorted.
Temari moved away from the wall and walked up to Shikamaru, her eyes shining brightly at him in the moonlight.
He could smell the scent of her floral shampoo as she leaned in close and whispered, “For me, I think you would. You know I’d wait a lifetime for you.”
Shikamaru felt a shiver run through him as she placed a kiss at the base of his neck.
The blonde let go and began to walk out of the alley, towards the street.
“Soon, I promise.” Temari called, turning to glance at Shikamaru before she stepped out of the shadows and rejoined the party.
Shikamaru was still trying to catch his breath after he watched her figure disappear.
His palms were sweaty, his heart was racing.
Shikamaru grit his teeth.
He couldn’t stand it like this forever!
There was nothing in the world he wanted more, nothing he would work harder for than to be with her…..
Soon, she said.
Soon, she would announce their relationship.
Then Naruto and Kakashi and Gaara would all…….
And Kankuro…….
“Oh man, what a drag.” Shikamaru groaned in the alleyway.
His tone was the same as usual, but his facial expression was different.
This time, the shadows hid his smile.
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After the five Kages had ended their polite, obligatory discussions and gone their separate ways, poor Gaara found himself wandering around the massive party aimlessly.
“Sorry.” He rasped to Neji, accidentally bumping into the Hyūga dancing with TenTen.
“That’s alright!” Neji called as the couple quickly spun away.
Gaara blinked.
Parties, or really, social events of any kind, certainly weren’t his forte, but this one felt especially uncomfortable.
Gaara was perfectly fine on his own and at peace with himself.
However, he couldn’t help but feel a little wistful as he watched all of the couples.
Laughter…….
A dance……
Smiles…...
They were all sharing something.
It saddened the Kazekage that he didn’t seem to have anyone to share any of those things with at the party.
Gaara eventually found a place to sit on one of Konoha’s rooftops and plopped his gourd down, crossing his legs.
At least now, he wouldn’t be in the way of others.
Little did he know, his night was about to change.
Gaara took a deep breath in, closed his eyes, and focused on the serene sound of the rustling wind, mentally blocking out the noise of the party below.
Peace and solace……….
As Gaara relaxed, behind him, Rock Lee slowly peeked over the rooftop.
Gaara had come to his rescue before.
Now it was his turn to rescue Gaara!
Not from a battle of war, but a battle of loneliness!
“Kazekage Gaara!” Rock Lee shouted.
Peace and solace gone!
Gaara nearly jumped out of his clothes.
The startled Kazekage’s smokey eyes shot wide open.
Gaara and his gourd nearly tumbled off the roof as Rock Lee quickly bounded over.
“Kazekage Gaara! I have been sent as a messenger to give you this!” Rock Lee announced, shoving a red envelope in Gaara’s face as he tried to collect himself.
“Is that so?” Gaara rasped, trying to slow his rapid pulse and collect his wits. “What is this?” The Kazekage asked as his jade eyes scanned it over.
“I don’t know! I was only asked to bring it here! Enjoy the party!” Rock Lee cried.
He left as suddenly as he had appeared.
Gaara scowled and he quickly opened the envelope.
He blinked.
A red paper heart.
Gaara had received a valentine.
He flipped it over.
A message…….
Meet me by the pond at the edge of the village.
XOXO
Gaara’s smokey jade eyes widened.
XOXO?!
Gaara was awkward, but he wasn’t stupid.
He knew what XOXO meant!
He was immediately suspicious.
Who sent this?!
The Kazekage collected his gourd and quickly, stealthily, left the rooftop.
He found himself both anxious and exhilarated as he made his way to the pond.
Was this a joke?
Another fangirl waiting to attack him?
An enemy?
Or…..was it serious?
The Kazekage made it to the pond and stood, watching the water.
Silence.
No one was there.
Suddenly, he heard a twig snap and whirled around.
Shijima stood there, facing him.
Gaara felt his heart skip.
The Kazekage’s affection for the dark-haired woman was no secret.
Was it true?
His feelings were really returned?
Gaara said nothing.
He simply held up the red paper heart, questioning her silently.
Shijima nodded.
She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off before a sound could escape as Gaara closed the distance between them and quickly pressed his lips to hers.
Shijima threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly as they kissed.
She had chosen a good messenger.
Rock Lee had done well.
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While they kissed, talked, and danced, the moon shone down on the couples, friends, families, and allies as the celebration went on into the night.
Yes, the Valentine’s Day party in Konoha was enjoyed by all, indeed.